News

Kruse strike wins it for Victory

Kruse strike wins it for Victory

Hyundai A-League week 4

At Skilled Park, Gold Coast

GOLD COAST UNITED 0

MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 (Kruse 20’)

HT: 0-1

Referee: Ben Williams

Crowd: 3624

A SOLITARY goal midway through the first half from Melbourne Victory striker Robbie Kruse was enough to give his side all three points in a 1-0 win over Gold Coast United at Skilled Park.

After timing his run perfectly, Kruse latched on to a defence splitting through ball from Carlos Hernandez before rounding United goalkeeper Glen Moss and tapping the ball into the empty net.

With Shane Smeltz in Turkey completing the formalities of his move to Genclerbirligi and Joel Porter losing his fitness race with a hamstring strain, Miron Bleiberg was forced into playing a young forward line with Golgol Mebrahtu and James Brown pitting their youthful exuberance against Victory’s experienced rearguard.

Gold Coast’s youngsters responded well to going behind and just seconds after the restart had a chance to level the scores when James Brown just failed to get his shot away after ghosting into a dangerous position behind the Melbourne defence.

The action kept coming as United visibly stepped up a gear in search of the equaliser. Victory ‘keeper Jason Petkovic palmed away a powerful effort from Adama Traore, then saved spectacularly when Jason Culina’s superb volley whistled towards the net.

A goal down at the break, Miron Bleiberg made an alteration to his side at the start of the second half with promising young attacker Ben Halloran introduced for his Hyundai A-League debut in place of Golgol Mebrahtu. 

But the well organised Melbourne defence were content to absorb United’s industry, making it difficult for the home side to fashion goalscoring opportunities. Dino Djulbic flashed a header wide after an inviting Culina free-kick and a sea of Victory legs blocked a goal-bound 25-metre thunderbolt from Traore, but that was about as close as Gold Coast came.

United battled hard for a way back into the match, but Melbourne’s experience told as they shut up shop at the back and closed out the ninety minutes.

“We struggled up front today and although people will say we missed Shane Smeltz today, I think we actually missed Joel Porter more,” said Gold Coast Head Coach Miron Bleiberg after the game.

“Sometimes miracles happen when you play your young players but today it wasn’t to be for us. We knew we were a bit underdone in attack, especially as we were facing such an experienced Melbourne team, but fair play to them (Victory). They scored their goal, killed the game and we didn’t have the firepower to break them down.

“We had our chances in the first half but struggled to create much in the second. We missed a target-man to hold the ball for us and bring other people into the play. Melbourne decided to defend what they had and all credit to them because they did it well. They are an experienced team and it showed today.”

Gold Coast United:

1.Glen MOSS [gk], 3.Michael THWAITE, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 8.ANDERSON (19.Andrew BARISIC 58’), 10.Jason CULINA (c), 16.Kristian REES, 18.James BROWN, 21.Golgol MEBRAHTU (26.Ben HALLORAN 46’), 22.Adama TRAORE, 24.John CURTIS (2.Steve PANTELIDIS 69’).

Unused subs: 20.Scott HIGGINS [gk].

Yellow cards: Rees 24’.

Red cards: None.

Melbourne Victory:

1.Michael PETKOVIC [gk], 2.Kevin MUSCAT (c), 3.Mate DUGANDZIC (11.Marvin ANGULO 87’), 5.Surat SUKHA, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 8.Grant BREBNER, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 19.Evan BERGER (13.Diogo FERREIRA 45’), 21.Robbie KRUSE (27.Geoff KELLAWAY 78’), 23.Adrian LEIJER.

Unused subs: 20.Sebastian MATTEI [gk].

Yellow cards: Dugandzic 22’.

Red cards: None.